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2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season (Disasters GoOn's version)
The 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season was the beginning of the end for many of the countries in the Atlantic Basin, as, thanks to a small-scale war that somehow caused methane releases in the Arctic Basin, global temperatures skyrocketed, producing hurricanes that reached levels never before seen. The strongest was a hurricane named Samuel, which reached the city of New York as a 1,250-mile-wide, 390 mph storm system. Other notorious hurricanes included Harold, a Category 7 hurricane that hit Houston on August 7, 2020, and Hurricane Cristobal, a Category 5 hurricane that hit Norfolk, Virginia. Background The Atlantic Hurricane Season was expected to be a normal season, with the National Weather Service predicting that there would be 15 total storms, 5 of which would turn into hurricanes. But a small-scale war between the US and Russia, in a battle called "Battle of the Arctic", caused methane hydrates to rupture, releasing an estimated 50 gigatons (approximately 50 billion metric tons) of methane to be released from the ocean. The tremendous amounts of methane caused global temperatures to skyrocket, increasing ocean temperatures and causing intense storms to increase in intensity and size, and also causing sea levels to rise quickly. Storms Hurricane Aaron Hurricane Aaron was an average storm that was unusual due to the fact that it was the strongest hurricane recorded in May. When it hit the Bahamas on May 18, the storm system was also large, with hurricane-force winds extending about 80 miles (130 km) from the eye. The storm system killed dozens in Nassau and caused billions of dollars in damage. Tropical Storm Anthony Tropical Storm Anthony stayed out into the ocean and didn't affect any land masses. Hurricane Beth Same as Anthony. Tropical Storm Cassidy Same as Anthony and Beth. Hurricane Chris Hurricane Chris was the first Category 5 hurricane of the season, and it was a major hurricane at that. The hurricane intensified from a Category 3 to a Category 5 within 12 hours between June 6 and June 7. The storm maintained that intensity until it hit Jacksonville, Florida at peak intensity. At the same time, it was estimated to have had a diameter exceeding 310 miles across. The hurricane's 165 mph (270 km/h) winds and 23-foot storm surge killed over 330 people in the city of Jacksonville and surrounding areas, and caused over $30 billion in damage. Hurricane Cristobal Hurricane Cristobal was the next system to develop into a major storm system. After trucking through the Atlantic ocean for several days, the storm system reached its maximum peak of 175 mph winds and 900 millibar pressure recording. The storm then hit Norfolk, Virginia as a 160 mph hurricane. Its enormous circulation affected areas as far north as New Jersey and Maryland. Over 1,000 were dead and up to $100 billion in damage was done to Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and Washington, D.C. Hurricane Danielle Was a weak hurricane that didn't affect land. It was later absorbed by Hurricane Dolly, the next major storm system. Hurricane Dolly Hurricane Dolly developed into a hurricane on June 21 after traveling the ocean for several days. One day before making landfall in the Bahamas, on June 24, Hurricane Dolly rapidly intensified into a major tropical system. It then directly slammed into Nassau at peak intensity, killing hundreds. Hours later, the storm then made landfall in Miamias a 350-mile-wide, 180 mph storm, producing a 20-foot storm surge that killed hundreds in Florida. The storm's fast ground speed helped it cross the Florida Peninsula in just 8 hours, weakening the storm into a low-end Category 4 hurricane. It then intensified back into a 180-mph storm system, with hurricane-force winds extending 75 miles from the eye. The storm system made landfall at Corpus Christi as a 165-mph storm, producing a 20-foot storm surge. The hurricane killed 1,000 in the city and the surrounding areas. All total, the hurricane killed over 2,000 people, and caused over $200 billion. Hurricane Eduardo The hurricane formed in the Gulf of Mexico, and hit Haiti as a Category 2 hurricane. Its enormous size and storm surge killed dozens in Hispanola. But the mountainous areas in Haiti disrupted the core of the storm, causing the storm to tear itself apart. Tropical Storm Faith Didn't affect land at all. Hurricane Gert Hurricane Gert made landfall in Savannah, Georgia as a mid-end, 350-mile-wide Category 5 hurricane, producing a storm surge of 30 feet. The high winds and storm surge killed a total of 9,000 people, becoming the deadliest national disaster in US history. Hurricane Harold Hurricane Harold developed into a tropical storm 500 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands, then steadily intensified into a Category 3 hurricane. Just before hitting the Windward Islands, on August 1, it intensified into a low-end Category 5 hurricane, and it hit the island of Dominica at peak intensity, killing over 1,000 people. The storm system then continued to intensify, eventually hitting Jamaica as an intense, 190 mph, 350-mile-wide storm system on August 4. The storm killed hundreds on the island, of which over 400 were in Kingston, which suffered 190 mph winds for three hours and a twenty-five foot storm surge. The hurricane remained a mid-sized category 5 hurricane, eventually hitting Cozumel, Mexico, with 160 mph winds and a 23-foot storm surge, killing over 100 in the area. The storm system then exited into the Gulf of Mexico as a high-end category 4. On August 6, the hurricane then intensified into the strongest storm ever recorded, with its 25-mile-wide eyewall (which surrounded a 20-mile-wide eye) packing winds of up to 215 mph. The storm also had the lowest pressure ever recorded, at approximately 850 millibars (25.10 inHg), and it was also massive, with hurricane-force winds extending approximately 125 miles from the eye. On August 7, at 7:15 AM Central Standard time, the storm system then hit Galveston at peak strength with a forward speed of 20 mph, producing a 30-foot storm surge, which increased to over 50 feet as it reached the Houston Ship Channel. The storm caused tremendous damage all over Houston and the surrounding areas. By the time the storm left the city, the hurricane had left a total of 70,000 dead, many of them from the storm surge. Over $500 billion in damage had been done, and it is estimated that it will take years for the region to return to normal. (To be continued).